Tag Archives: FCC

FCC’s Agenda for July 14 Meeting Includes Spectrum Frontiers and Technology Transitions Items

Legislative Activity House Approves FY 2017 Appropriations Bill Decreasing FCC’s Budget On July 7, the U.S. House of Representatives (House) passed H.R.5485, the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, 2017 containing appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2017. The $21.7 billion funding measure contains appropriations for various federal agencies for the fiscal year ending September … Continue Reading

House Commerce Committee to Hold Hearing on Broadband Privacy Rules

Legislative Activity House Lawmakers Discuss Movement on Telecom Bills Before Recess and Election During a Federal Communications Bar Association lunch held June 8, House Energy & Commerce Committee (House Commerce Committee) counsel discussed pending communications legislation and the likelihood of seeing movement in the coming months. Majority counsel David Redl expressed interest in advancing H.R.4889, … Continue Reading

FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for June Open Meeting

Legislative Activity House Lawmakers Question FCC Approach on Broadband Privacy On June 1, Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI), Greg Walden (R-OR), and Michael Burgess (R-TX) wrote a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler requesting that the FCC reconsider its approach, outlined in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), to protecting the privacy of … Continue Reading

FCC Releases Final Agenda for May 25 Open Meeting

Legislative Activity Senators Press FCC for Extension of Broadband Privacy Comment Period On May 19, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) wrote a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler requesting that the FCC extend the comment period for the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on a proposed framework … Continue Reading

FCC Releases Order Approving Charter, Time Warner, Bright House Merger

Legislative Activity Senate Subcommittee Holds Hearing on FCC’s Proposed Broadband Privacy Rules On May 11, the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing titled “Examining the Proposed FCC Privacy Rules.” The hearing examined the substance and implications of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Notice of … Continue Reading

FCC Releases Tentative Agenda for May Open Meeting

Legislative Activity 60 Members of Congress Address FCC’s Set-Top Box Proposal On May 5, 60 members of Congress from both sides of the aisle wrote a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler expressing concern about the FCC’s recent proposal to change the FCC’s set-top box rules (previously discussed here). The letter stated … Continue Reading

House Encryption Working Group Releases Roadmap

Legislative Activity House Bi-Partisan Encryption Working Group Releases Roadmap On April 21, the U.S. House of Representatives (House) Bi-Partisan Encryption Working Group (Working Group) announced its roadmap following a meeting to discuss the group’s goals. The Working Group, first announced in March 2016, is charged with examining the legal and policy issues surrounding the use … Continue Reading

House Passes Bill Preventing Broadband Rate Regulation

Legislative Activity House Passes Bill Preventing Broadband Rate Regulation On April 15, the House of Representatives (House) passed H.R.2666, the No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act by a vote of 241-173. The bill’s main provision states that “the Federal Communications Commission may not regulate the rates charged for broadband Internet access service.” The … Continue Reading

House Communications Subcommittee to Examine Seven Communications Bills

Legislative Activity House Subcommittee to Examine Seven Communications Bills The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology (Communications Subcommittee) of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (House Commerce Committee) will hold a legislative hearing on April 13 during which it will review seven communications-related bills. The following legislation will be considered during the hearing: H.R.2031, the … Continue Reading

FCC Chairman Circulates Draft Broadband Privacy Rules

Legislative Activity Sen. Thune Introduces FCC Reauthorization Act On March 7, Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee (Senate Commerce Committee) introduced S.2644, the FCC Reauthorization Act of 2016. The bill would reauthorize the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has not been reauthorized since 1990, and would authorize appropriations … Continue Reading

Democratic Senators Raise Concerns about Charter-Time Warner Merger

Legislative Activity Democratic Senators Express Concern over Charter-Time Warner Merger On February 25, five senators, including Sens. Edward Markey (D-MA), Al Franken (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), wrote a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler expressing “significant concern” regarding the high-profile … Continue Reading

FCC Initiates Rulemaking to “Unlock the Set-Top Box”

Legislative Activity MOBILE NOW Act Introduced in Senate On February 11, Senator John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate Commerce Committee) and Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced the S.2555, the Making Opportunities for Broadband Investment and Limiting Excessive and Needless Obstacles to Wireless Act (MOBILE NOW Act). … Continue Reading

Democratic Senators Concerned About Lack of Competition in Cable and Broadband Markets

Legislative Activity Democratic Senators Voice Concerns Over Cable and Broadband Competition and Fees On February 3, a group of six Democratic Senators, including Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Al Franken (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), wrote a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler in which … Continue Reading

House Subcommittee Advances Spectrum and Broadband Deployment Bills

Legislative Activity House Subcommittee Advances Spectrum Bill and Broadband Deployment Package On December 2, the Communications and Technology Subcommittee (Communications Subcommittee) of the House Energy & Commerce Committee (House Commerce Committee) advanced two pieces of legislation to the full committee. The first, H.R.1641, the Federal Spectrum Incentive Act of 2015, was approved by voice vote. … Continue Reading

FCC Announces Agenda for December 17 Open Meeting

Legislative Activity Sen. Thune Introduces Bill Regarding Spectrum Auction Deposits On November 19, Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (Senate Commerce Committee), introduced S.2319, a bill that reduces some of the administrative burden associated with the handling of auction deposits. Specifically, the bill would require spectrum auction deposits … Continue Reading

FCC Announces Final Agenda for November Open Meeting

Legislative Activity Senate Sees Flurry of Proposed Spectrum Legislation Three spectrum-related bills or drafts thereof have been introduced in the Senate. First, on November 3, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced S.2227, the Private Spectrum Relocation Funding Act of 2015. The bill would amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act, (NTIA Act), 47 U.S.C. … Continue Reading

Spectrum Reallocation and Auctions Are Prominent in Bipartisan Budget Bill

Legislative Activity Federal Spectrum Reallocation and More Auctions Included in Budget Bill Congress’ budget bill contains a number of important spectrum policy items, including a plan for reallocating and auctioning more federal wireless spectrum to commercial providers. Title X of the bill calls on the Secretary of Commerce and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to … Continue Reading

FCC Adopts Notices of Proposed Rulemaking on Foreign Ownership of Broadcast Licensees and on 5G Wireless at October 22 Open Meeting

Legislative Activity Senate Will Hold Confirmation Hearing for FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel’s Second Term On Wednesday, October 28, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation (Senate Commerce Committee) will hold a confirmation hearing for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. As previously discussed here, President Obama announced the renomination of Commissioner Rosenworcel on May … Continue Reading

House & Senate Leaders Urge Action on European Invalidation of Data Transfer “Safe Harbor”

Legislative Activity House & Senate Leaders Urge Action on European “Safe Harbor” Ruling Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate Commerce Committee) Chairman John Thune (R-SD) along with Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) wrote a letter to Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Federal Trade Commission … Continue Reading

FCC Announces October Meeting Agenda; Tentative Agenda Includes ICS Rate Reform

Legislative Activity House Sees New Legislation on Inmate Calling and Video Rates On September 29, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) introduced H.R.3638, the Family Telephone Connection Protection Act of 2015. The bill would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe rules regulating the rates charged for inmate telephone and video services to ensure such rates … Continue Reading

FCC Announces Agenda for September Open Meeting

Legislative Activity Lawmakers Expected to Introduce Spectrum Legislation Soon Though nothing has been introduced, recent reports suggest that that the public can expect members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee (House Commerce Committee) and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee (Senate Commerce Committee) to introduce legislation aimed at freeing up government … Continue Reading
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